


Ship of Dreams

by Star_Dust47



Category: Glee
Genre: Abuse, Brotherly Love, Childhood Friends, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Eventual Relationships, Eventual Romance, F/F, F/M, Falling In Love, Forbidden Love, Forced Relationship, Friends to Enemies, Friends to Lovers, Glee References, Idiots in Love, Love Confessions, Love Triangles, Love at First Sight, M/M, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Past Abuse, Physical Abuse, RMS Titanic, Rachel Berry & Quinn Fabray Friendship, True Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-12-28
Packaged: 2021-03-10 00:55:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,388
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27695182
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Star_Dust47/pseuds/Star_Dust47
Summary: The year is 1912 and the "Ship of Dreams" is set to set sail in a few hours, carrying many to, what they hope is a new life.Blaine Anderson is one of these individuals, along with his parents and his older brother. While his parents may be ecstatic to set off for their amazing new life in North America, he was not. This would be a life where his father would take over managing a bank in New York City and Blaine would go on to marry his childhood best friend, Rachel Berry. Blaine found himself drowning and no one seemed to notice...or care.Kurt Hummel finds himself on the "Ship of Dreams" thanks to his friend Elliott's amazing ability to gamble. Deep down he knows that going to America is not going to fix all of his problems, Lord knows nothing can fix him. But ever since his father passed he has nothing left to loose.Rachel Berry finds herself trapped on the supposed "Ship of Dreams", but none of her dreams are coming true. She finds herself on her way to a marriage she did not want, knowing it would mean she would never get to fulfill her dreams of performing on Broadway. Not to mention, she felt herself being drawn to a man that was not her fiancé.
Relationships: Blaine Anderson & Cooper Anderson, Blaine Anderson & Rachel Berry, Blaine Anderson & Rory Flanagan, Blaine Anderson & Sebastian Smythe, Blaine Anderson/Kurt Hummel, Blaine Anderson/Original Female Character(s), Blaine Anderson/Original Male Character(s), Blaine Anderson/Rachel Berry, Carl Howell/Emma Pillsbury, Cooper Anderson & Kurt Hummel, Cooper Anderson & Rachel Berry, Cooper Anderson/Original Female Character(s), Cooper Anderson/Rachel Berry, Elliott "Starchild" Gilbert & Kurt Hummel, Emma Pillsbury/Will Schuester, Kurt Hummel & Brittany S. Pierce, Kurt Hummel & Santana Lopez, Kurt Hummel & Sue Sylvester, Kurt Hummel/Original Female Character(s), Kurt Hummel/Original Male Character(s), Mike Chang/Tina Cohen-Chang, Quinn Fabray/Finn Hudson, Quinn Fabray/Noah Puckerman, Rachel Berry & Kurt Hummel, Rachel Berry & Quinn Fabray, Rachel Berry & Rory Flanagan, Rachel Berry & Sebastian Smythe, Rachel Berry/Original Male Character(s), Rory Flanagan/Original Female Character(s), Sam Evans/Mercedes Jones, Santana Lopez/Brittany S. Pierce, Sebastian Smythe/Original Male Character(s)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 7





	1. A Life So Changed

**Author's Note:**

> I really hope you enjoy this story. It is the first time I am trying to write an AU where it does not run with the events of the show at all. So it may be a little rusty right now, but I can assure you it will get better.
> 
> So read, enjoy, and remember that I own nothing from the television show Glee or the movie Titanic.

Artie Abrams wheeled down the deck of the ship, looking around at the ocean that surrounded his vessel that was tiny compared to the ocean. This was his last shot to prove himself to the big shots in Hollywood. A year ago he teamed up with historian, Rory Flanagan, to create the perfect documentary on the magnificent creation that went to its final resting spot right below them 84 years ago.

He stopped and looked out at the Atlantic Ocean, pulling out his video camera. He shot a few minutes worth of the physical ocean and stopped when he heard footsteps on the deck. Rory came up and leaned on the deck railing, looking down at Artie.

“What are ya doin’?” Rory asked, his thick Irish accent changing his pronunciation of some of the words.

“I just wanted to get a few minutes of the actual ocean, and then I can have William Schuester narrate.” Artie told him.

“You really think it is a good idea to have him be your narrator?” Rory asked and Artie shrugged.

“Why not?” He responded. “According to William, his great-grandfather also, coincidentally, named William Schuester was on the titanic when it went down.”

“Do you really think a twenty-five year old is your best option?” Rory asked.

“His family has a connection to the story, which will give the documentary an edge that is not always seen.” Artie stated firmly and Rory nodded, looking out at the ocean. “Any progress on the pictures?” Artie asked after a moment of silence.

Rory nodded, holding out said pictures. They had gone into the depths of the Titanic a week ago and found a safe from the room that was said to be the room of the owner of all three items Rory was looking for. 

None of the objects they were looking for were in the safe but two pictures were recovered from it. The photographs were state of the art for the time they were from, but they still had to be kept in water in order to preserve them.

Rory had then gone ahead and took photographs of the pictures from a camera that would not damage the originals and had them printed off so they could study them in a better way. He had also sent the pictures to every major news outlet, hoping some other historians might know more about them than they currently did. That was how he found them.

“The man right there has been identified as Blaine Hummel.” Rory pointed to the man in the picture and allowed Artie to take the picture.

“But there is no record of a Blaine Hummel on the Titanic.” Artie stated, confused.

He had spent the better part of a year researching everything he could on the ship and the tragedy that befell her. So he knew the passenger lists and the survivors lists like the back of his hand. He would have noticed a Blaine Hummel, since one of the men that was connected to the items Rory was looking for was named Blaine Anderson.

“Exactly.” Rory agreed and pulled out another picture. “Which is why I did some digging.” 

Rory handed him another picture, a little September 23, 1911 wrote in the corner. In the picture was the man that had been identified as Blaine Hummel, as well as the other two people from the other picture they had been trying to decipher.

“A picture of the Anderson brothers and their neighbor Rachel Berry.” Rory told him, answering Artie’s unanswered questions.

“Anderson?” Artie mused, feeling like he knew the name for something other than a random passenger on the Titanic that had something they were looking for. “Why does that sound familiar?”

“Robert Anderson.” Rory answered, handing him another picture of a copy of a news article. “Apparently, Mr. Anderson had been offered a position of manager at a bank in New York.”

“So, Robert gets a job offer and moves his whole family, explaining how the items found their way on board the infamous ship, but how does Rachel Berry fit into the picture?” Artie asked.

“I think it is pretty obvious, considering the other picture we pulled from Titanic.” Rory stated, looking down at the picture of the young woman they had gotten from the safe.

“So, say Blaine Anderson is Blaine Hummel?” Artie asked and Rory nodded. “Why would he change his last name?”

“Figured that out for you to, apparently his father was quite a piece of work.” Rory told him. “Didn’t give Blaine that much trouble, but gave the elder brother quite a hard time, and Blaine didn’t want his dad to haunt him for the rest of his life.” Rory explains pointing to the other man in the picture from 1911.

“Do you know why their father was so hard to the older brother?” Artie asked as he looked at the old picture of the elder Anderson from 1911.

“One of life’s great mysteries, but maybe tonight we will finally have those answers.” Rory told him with a grin.

“Oh, yeah? Why’s that?” Artie asked.

“Cause he told me.” Rory grinned like a Cheshire cat.

“Okay, now I know you are pulling my leg.” Artie chuckled. “Anderson…Hummel, whatever his name is, looks to be about 17 or 18 in this picture.” Artie pointed to the picture of Blaine Anderson from April 14, 1912.

“Had just turned 18.” Rory confirmed.

“If he was eighteen there, he would be over one hundred years old.” Artie stated.

“102 next month.” Rory grinned.

“Okay, you have my attention.” Artie set the pictures on his lap, placing his hands over them so they wouldn’t blow away.

“Why explain, when I can show you.” Rory told him and took off down the deck, Artie sighed before rolling after him.

—

Artie rolled into the computer room to find two very old individuals sitting in chairs, staring at screens that showed the inky black darkness of the ocean. The man sat in a wheelchair, a pair of glasses resting upon his nose as he watched the screen emotionlessly. The woman sat next to him, her hair as grey as her companion’s and did not sport glasses. One of her hands was clasped in the man’s and the other was in a woman’s, who looked to be right around Artie and Rory’s age.

“Sorry to keep you all waiting.” Rory greeted softly, as he pulled a chair up next to them. “This is my associate, Arthur Abrams. He is doing a documentary on Titanic, more specifically the story behind these three items.”

Rory handed over one of the pictures, that Artie had given back to him, to Blaine. He stifled a gasp as he looked at the picture of himself, causing the older woman to squeeze his hand. The younger woman gave a small smile, squeezing the older woman’s hand before standing up. She brushed her hands on her pants and turned to face Artie and Rory, holding out her hand.

“Sarah Jade.” She introduced and both men shook her hand.

“Pleasure to meet you, Miss. Jade.” Rory greeted, before introducing him and Artie. “Rory Flanagan and Artie Abrams.”

“I know.” Sarah chuckled softly. “You introduced yourself to my grandmother a few moments ago, and please, call me Sarah, Jade is my middle name.”

“Okay, Sarah.” Rory amended with a small smile on his face. 

“Mr. Hummel, I have some things that may brighten your day, as well as your’s Rachel.” Rory said, as Sarah pushed Blaine’s wheelchair and allowed her grandmother to hold onto her arm as they followed Rory over to a table. “These are some of the things we recovered from your guy’s staterooms.”

The two individuals began to look over the stuff, and Rory went over by Artie and knelt down by him.

“Rachel?” Artie whispered. “From the photograph?”

“You bet you arse.” Rory grinned.

“But what happened to being polite, you have literally called everyone by their last name, except for her?” Artie questioned.

“She won’t tell me it.” Rory furrowed his eyebrows.

“Then how do you know she is actually Rachel Berry?” Artie asked.

“She had a pocket watch with a picture of Rachel Berry in it. One you cannot find anywhere else. Trust me I looked.” Rory explained.

“No we are getting somewhere.” Artie smiled and Rory nodded.

Rory stood up and walked back over by Rachel and Blaine. Blaine stared at the old pocket watch for a moment before picking it up in his shaking hands. 

“I remember when I got you this.” Rachel smiled softly at it.

“Yeah.” Blaine muttered with a small smile. “And I gave it to…oh God.” Blaine whispered, putting his head in his hands.

Rachel placed her hand on his head and rubbed soothing circles on his head, trying her best to keep tears out of her own eyes. Titanic would always plague their memories, and they could never banish them. Not that Rachel ever would wish to, for she may have had a lot of bad memories from the voyage, but she also had a lot of amazing memories. And if she looked at it, she found that the good outweighed the bad.

“Grandma, is this yours?” Sarah asked, looking at a beautiful butterfly comb with a ruby stone in it.

“Yes, dear, it is.” Rachel said and took it in her hands now that Blaine had relaxed a little, turning the pocket watch around in his hand.

Rachel stared lovingly at the hair clip, still remembering how had it felt in her hair even after all these years. A small blush rose to her cheeks as she remembered when he tore it out of her hair, tossing it to the floor in her stateroom. Sarah noticed this, but kept it to herself, letting a smirk graze her mouth, her grandmother would tell her what she was thinking about when she was ready.

“This was my mother’s.” Blaine stated, setting the watch in his lap and picked up the silver and moonstone art-nouveau brooch.

“She caused quite a fuss that night, wanting to go back for it and all.” Rachel remembered.

“I think she cared more about this brooch than about my father.” Blaine chuckled without humor.

“Speaking of brooches,” Sugar Motta, Rory’s annoying assistant, began. “We are looking for a certain brooch…”

“Have you no respect?” Sarah interrupted, turning to look at Sugar, glaring down at her. “They are looking at things that remind them of a very painful time, and you just want your precious brooch to get you fame and money.”

“Sarah, dear.” Rachel spoke calmly.

“No, grandma, they need to know what they can and cannot do, if you are to help them.” Sarah stated, glaring down at Sugar’s five foot three form from her five foot seven body.

Rory decided that after this voyage was over, Sugar was fired. He wasn’t always the best at communicating with the human race, but even he knew that was rude.

“Sugar, if you could please go see if Kitty needs any help on sorting through fact and fiction about all of this?” Rory requested.

“But…” Sugar began.

“Now.” Rory interrupted and Sugar huffed, but left the room. “Sorry about her.” Rory apologized after Sugar had left. “She self-diagnosed herself with Asperger’s, I honestly think she uses it as an excuse to say whatever she wants. Don’t worry, I can assure you this is her last time working with me.”

“Oh, Mr. Flanagan , you don’t have to…” Rachel started.

“I do, Rachel, she needs to learn her lesson, even if she is 35 and should already know it.” Rory insisted.

Thank you, Sarah mouthed at him when Rachel had turned back to the items, and Rory nodded.

“Well, the team should be at the wreckage if you would all like to look.” Rory offered after they were done examining all of the items the team had found. “Are you ready to go back to Titanic?”

Rachel nodded, placing the comb in her pocket, never wanting to part with it again. She then turned to look at Blaine, who hesitantly nodded, his hand still clasping the pocket watch. They slowly made their trek back to the computer screens, Sarah and Rory helped Rachel back into her chair. Rory admired her, not every 102 year old women would still insist on walking without a cane or a walker.

“Live from 12,000 feet.” Rory’s associate Sebastian Smythe informed them, not looking away from the computer, as Rory and Sarah sat in the chairs behind the elderly pair.

Rachel and Blaine stared at the video feed they were getting. Blaine seemed enthralled by the bow railing as it went by. Artie and Rory stared at the pair of survivors, trying to get anything from their reactions.

“If you look here, the bow struck the ocean floor like axe, wedging itself in the ground from the impact.” Sebastian showed them, pointing at the area with his fingers. “I can actually show you a stimulation I put together, if you’d like?”

“I don’t know if Mr. Hummel and Rachel would like to see that, Mr. Smythe.” Rory said cautiously, observing the two people.

“No, it’s quite alright Mr. Flanagan.” Blaine assured the Irish man. “And please, call me Blaine.”

Rachel remained quiet, however, and looked over at the young man, her eyebrows furrowing in concentration, she looked over at Blaine and Sarah before turning back.

“Excuse me, you wouldn’t happen to know a Nathan Smythe?” Rachel asked.

“Actually, yeah, he was my grandfather.” Sebastian told her. “He died in 1929 for reasons no one likes to talk about. Why? Did you know him?”

“You could say that.” She chuckled along with Blaine, while Sebastian looked at them in confusion.

“Nathan was a frenemy of my older brother, Cooper, once upon a time.” Blaine told him.

“Frenemy?” Sebastian asked, interested to know more about the man he never met.

“Him and Cooper always got along fine, I honestly think Coop put up with him was because my mother asked him to. I’m sorry, Mr. Smythe, but your grandfather wasn’t the most cheerful person in the world.”

“I kind of figured that out from the stories my grandmother used to tell at Christmas parties when she had one too many eggnogs.” Sebastian chuckled with little humor. “What finally added the enemy part to the friend?”

“Cooper held his tongue and held onto the fragile friendship he had formed with Nathan until, well, the one thing that could end any friendship got in the way.” Blaine chuckled tiredly, taking notice of the confusion on the rest of the room, he elaborated. “A woman.”

Rory, Artie, and Sebastian chuckled at this, shaking their heads. Time only changed so much, for friendships still ended over women to this day.

“So, your stimulation, Mr. Smythe?” Blaine asked with a smile, already knowing this man was different from his grandfather.

“Uh, yeah.” Sebastian acknowledged. “So, we’ve compiled the world’s largest database on Titanic…”. The young man told them, as he pulled up the file. “So here you have Titanic, she hits the iceberg on the Starboard side. She sort of bumps along…punching holes, sort of like morse code…dit dit dit,” Sebastian demonstrates the noises. “along the side, below the water line.

Then the forward compartments start to flood…now as the water level starts to rise, it spills over the water tight bulkheads which, unfortunately, don’t go any higher than E Deck. 

So now as the bow goes down, the stern rises up, slow at first, than faster and faster, until finally she’s got her whole ass up in the air. And that’s a big ass we’re talking about 20 to 30 thousand tons easily. Okay? Now the haul is not designed to deal with that much pressure.” Sebastian explained and held his hands up to demonstrate the next part. “So what happens?Skrtt! She spilts. Right down to the keel, and the stern falls back level. Then as the bow sinks, it pulls the stern vertical, and finally detaches.

Now the stern section just kind of bobs there like a cork for a couple of minutes, floods, and finally goes under at about 2:20 A.M. Two hours and forty minutes after the collision. The bow section planes away, landing about half a mile away, goin’ twenty or thirty knots when it hits the ocean floor.

Kaboom! Pretty cool, huh?” Sebastian asks hesitantly, looking for any emotion from the two survivors.

“Thank you for that fine forensic analysis, Mr. Smythe, but we can assure you the experience of it was…somewhat different.” Rachel told him politely.

“Would you guys be willing to share it with us?” Artie asked softly.

Rachel stood up from her chair, with the help of Sarah, and turned to look at the pre-recorded footage of the wreak. The elderly woman smiled slightly at the hallways he chased her down that night, as she laughed in pure contentment as he caught up to her and swung her in a circle. She saw the doors that the kind men used to stand by at all times, warm, comforting, smiles always on their faces till the very end.

“Oh!” Rachel cried, finally reaching the place Blaine was moments ago, emotionally.

“I’m taking her to rest.” Sarah told the others. “Do you want to go to?” She asked Blaine, who stared emotionless at the picture in front of him, of the two of them that fateful night.

“No.” Rachel cried softly.

“Come one, grandma.” Sarah pleaded gently.

“No!” Rachel shouted and made her way back over by Blaine.

“Can I have that?” Rory asked Artie, who nodded, and handed him the tape recorder.

“Tell us, Rachel and Blaine.” Rory asked as he turned the recorder on and set it on the table.

“It’s been eighty-four years…” Blaine began.

“I know, just try your best. Try to remember anything…anything at all.” Rory encouraged.

“Do you want to hear this or not, Mr. Flanagan?” Rachel asked with a smirk, and Rory chuckled and nodded his head. “It’s been eighty-four years,” Rachel continued.

She knew that Blaine would take over when she got tired, or when there were parts of the story that she was not there for. Just like she would take over for him when he got tired or there were parts that he did not know of.

“and I can still smell the fresh paint.” Rachel chuckled in realization. “The china had never been used. The sheets had never been slept in. Titanic was called the ‘Ship of Dreams’. And it was.

It really was…”


	2. Once Upon an Us

Blaine Anderson stepped out of his Victorian home, staring longingly at the beloved building. He honestly did not know why his father could even think about leaving it, but then again, his father did care more about money than memories. The only one who could have possibly convinced Robert Anderson to stay was Pamela Anderson. Unfortunately, his mother never stood up to his father, no one did.

“You gonna wait till it gets torn down or what?” A cocky voice called and Blaine rolled his eyes.

He had spoken to soon, there was one person that would stand up to his father, even if it never ended well for him. Blaine turned around to see his older brother leaning against their car that would be transported with them to America. Cooper smiled sarcastically at his younger brother as a cigarette hung from between his lips. Blaine’s eyes widened at that and looked around for his parents.

“Coop, what are you doing?” Blaine hissed.

His older brother simply took a breath of his cigarette before he let the smoke out into the air.

“Having a smoke.” He told his brother and Blaine rolled his eyes again.

“I mean, why are you doing that, dad is going to kill you.” Blaine said and looked towards the house, hoping his father would not walk out of it.

“Let him try.” Cooper scoffed. “He’s no better.” Cooper mocked their father’s bad habit. “Or did you forget that dad doesn’t give a shit about what I do.”

“Language, Cooper.” Blaine reprimanded looking down the street to make sure none of the neighbors were out, while Cooper rolled his eyes.

As Blaine made sure none of the neighbors heard, his eyes brightened at the sight of his childhood best friend. Rachel Berry had been by his side since they were in diapers and would be going with them on this new journey. Rachel turned to wave at her father Hiram and mother Shelby, as the butler LeRoy stood behind them. Blaine, as far as he knew, was the only one who Rachel told about her family situation.

She told him how Hiram Berry and LeRoy Rockwell were deep in love, but knew it would be frowned upon if a 1st class citizen was to run off with his butler, much less his _male_ butler. That was where Shelby Corcoran came in.

Fresh off the Broadway stage, Shelby was expected to marry someone of her stature. The young brunette wanted nothing to do with marriage, as she wanted to be an actress, but was soon found by Hiram and LeRoy. The agreement was that she could try out for all the plays she wanted, as long as she agreed to marry Hiram and keep their secret.

A few years later, Shelby lost hope in gaining any roles and allowed Hiram and LeRoy to finally make the move to Southhampton the two men had wanted to do for years. When people began to question why the ‘perfect’ couple did not have any children Shelby and Hiram, reluctantly, decided to have a child.

Eighteen years later, Rachel Berry was the pride and joy of all three of her parents, even if the public only knew about two of them. This is why Blaine felt safe telling her things he did not even feel comfortable telling his own brother about, like his former crush on the mailman. 

Blaine raised his hand to wave at Rachel, who awkwardly returned it and made her way over to the Anderson brothers. The way she was acting made Blaine nervous, if there was one thing he knew about Rachel, it was her confidence.

“Hey.” He greeted as she came to a stop next to them. “What’s wrong?”

The servants, who followed Rachel, brought her luggage over to the fourth car that was reserved for the Anderson’s and Rachel’s luggage. As the first two were reserved for the Anderson’s and their guest and the third was reserved for the staff that would be making the journey with them.

Rachel ignored Blaine’s question and irritation took over her features as she glared at Cooper, who was still smoking his cigarette.

“Must you do that?” She seethed. “It is disgusting.”

“Oh, well, if the princess commands it, I must oblige.” Cooper mocked and took a long breath of his cigarette and blew the smoke in Rachel’s face.

This caused the small brunette to cough, before she reached up and grabbed the object from between his lips and dropped it to the floor, stomping on it with her shoe. Cooper stared at her shoe for a moment, an unreadable emotion on his face, before he schooled his features into that of someone who loves to irritate people.

“Come on guys.” Blaine moaned as he rubbed his hand against his eyes.

As much as Blaine and Rachel were best friends, her and Cooper were the opposite. Don’t get him wrong, Rachel and Cooper got along just fine until Cooper was about nineteen or twenty, then something changed. He would mock Rachel, tease her, anger her, and do things he knew she hated, such as smoking. Rachel tried to repair their friendship until she was about sixteen, and then she transformed into what Cooper had become. Except Rachel just reprimanded Cooper’s behavior in a, sometimes, sarcastic manner. This made Blaine Switzerland, and he tried so hard to keep the peace.

“My lungs.” Cooper said and pulled another cigarette out, placing it between his lips. “My choice.”

“Well, I am going to be riding twenty miles with ‘your lungs’ and I get the choice of not wanting the car to smell like nicotine.” Rachel huffed.

She grabbed the unlit cigarette from Cooper’s lips as the older man held a lit match a few inches away from where the cigarette was, and Rachel dropped it in her purse. As her purse clipped shut, it seemed to activate something in Cooper. The elder Anderson dropped the match to the ground, causing Blaine to rush over to stomp it out, as he walked over to Rachel. Rachel held his furious gaze as she continued to back away from him. Unconsciously she jumped as the cool metal of the car engine pressed against her back.

Blaine, for once, was frozen, his foot still pressed against the, now unlit, match. There was a change in the atmosphere, one Blaine hated it whenever it happened. There were moments where Rachel and Cooper’s hatred for each other blew so high they would just stare at each other. Blaine could not understand how two people could hate each other so much over such petty things. There was more anger and frustration in the two’s faces than what there normally was and it had Blaine scratching his head more than usual.

“Who’s ready for America?” His mother called as she and her husband finally came out of the house.

Rachel and Cooper broke out of their staring contest, and the older man took a step away from the petite brunette. Blaine saw the color leave Rachel’s face at the sight of his parents and furrowed his eyebrows, and began to make his way over towards her.

“In one minute.” Blaine instructed, and his father gave a short nod, confusing Blaine. “Rach, what’s going on?” He asked when they got far enough away from his family.

“I’m getting married.” She told him hesitantly.

“What? Rachel that is amazing news!” Blaine beamed at his best friend.

“To you.” Rachel elaborated and the smile left his face.

“Pardon?” He asked.

“I’m so sorry, Blaine.” Rachel all but sobbed and Blaine brought her into his arms. “I tried to talk them out of it.”

“It’s okay.” Blaine soothed, trying to put his own fears aside and focus on his best friend. “We’ll figure it out. It’s okay.”

“Romeo!” Cooper called from the first car. “Juliet! Ya comin’?”

“Cooper Jay Anderson, use proper English, we sent you to school for a reason.” His father reprimanded, hitting his son harshly on the back of his head.

Blaine didn’t understand why Cooper continued to act the way he acted around him and Rachel around their father. Then again, Cooper and his father stopped getting along right around the time Cooper and Rachel stopped getting along. Blaine felt like he was missing a huge piece of the puzzle.

—

Rachel sat silently next to Cooper, trying to ignore him. Blaine had requested to sit with his parents, to try to talk them out of the engagement. The other two young adults knew it would not change a thing, but if Blaine wanted to try, he was happy to.

Cooper was surprised his father allowed him to be alone with his brother’s fiancée, given the situation of things. If there was one thing the elder Anderson had learned from life, was to not push his luck. So, he did not hesitate to climb in the first of four cars.

The young brunette tried to ignore the tension in the cab of the car, it was so thick you could cut it with a knife. Part of her wished Blaine would have come with her so she would have her personal Wall of Jericho, but she knew she needed to talk this out with everyone involved. However, as brave as she claimed to be, Rachel Berry was terrified of this conversation.

“I heard Finn Hudson of the Westminster Hudsons is going to be onboard Titanic.” Rachel said, chickening out once more.

“With or without his unfaithful bride?” Cooper responded, none of the anger that had been in his voice earlier was there, and he turned his head slightly to look at her.

It was no secret of Quinn Hudson née Fabray had a short lived affair, instigated with alcohol, with the Hudson’s personal pool cleaner, Noah Puckerman. This had resulted in the birth of an illegitimate child, that was quickly given up for adoption. After that, Puckerman was fired and Quinn went onto marry Finn.

Many people questioned why Finn chose to go through with the marriage. Several claimed he married the youngest Fabray because of the stature boost it would give his family, not that he needed it. Rachel, however, understood it perfectly. Finn loved Quinn with all his heart, he would never be able to give it fully to another, and this caused him to always be willing to forgive her. Rachel was sympathetic towards him, for she knew just how he felt, as she looked over at her companion in the car.

“With.” She responded, a blush creeping onto her neck from her previous thought, and she was glad she decided to wear her hair down.

“Hmm.” Cooper acknowledged before he leant closer, so close their shoulders were almost touching, as he stared out the front window, past the driver. “You know what I heard?”

“What?” Rachel grinned sweetly, taking pleasure at not having to fight away her feelings for him for once.

“I heard that there’s a swimming bath.” Cooper mock whispered.

“You’re joking?” Rachel asked with a shocked laugh.

“A Turkish one.” Cooper confirmed and Rachel laughed again.

Rachel turned to look at him, and he was closer than she had thought. Her dark brown eyes connected with his clear blue eyes. The brunette did not seem to notice that he was getting closer until his nose brushed against hers. With a shark intake of breath, she looked away from him and at the growing crowds by the docks.

“Rachel…” Cooper started but Rachel cut him off.

“I’m engaged and I don’t like you.” She snapped.

Since she was staring out the window, she did not notice the hurt look in his eyes before his walls went back up. Rachel wanted nothing more than to give into her temptations, but after the threat she received from Robert Anderson, she wanted nothing more to keep him safe. If that meant that her dreams of Broadway and love were over, it was all worth it if he was alive.

“Jesus,” He swore, causing Rachel to roll her eyes. “I don’t even know what I was thinking, you’re still that annoying little girl who used to follow me around singing at the top of her irritating little lungs.”

Rachel let his comment set in and do its usual sting before she whipped around, glaring at him.

“I hate you.” She seethed.

“Hate is a very strong word, sweetheart.” Copper growled sarcastically.

“I know.” She responded firmly.

Even though she knew she could never hate the man who had stolen her heart when she was sixteen and had never given it back.

As if it was timed the driver of the car opened the door and held his hand out for Rachel. The young woman took it and let him help her out of the car.

“Rachel!” Blaine called as he pushed his way through the crowd.

“Well?” Rachel asked, wringing her hands nervously.

Blaine didn’t say anything and realization hit her, Rachel shakily nodded her head, trying to breathe through the restrains of her corset. 

Cooper began to move his hand to rest on the small of her back, but pulled his hand back when it was halfway. Her fate was sealed and there was nothing he could do that would change it. He would probably become more self-destructive than what he was before, and he would definitely have to leave New York. He knew it would hurt Blaine, since they were brothers, but he couldn’t stand to see his baby brother marry the woman he…Rachel, he could not stand to see Blaine marry Rachel and for them to live out their perfect little lives while he had no one that would fill up that brunette’s spot in his heart.

“I don’t see what all the fuss is about.” Cooper snarked once his parents were there. “It doesn’t look any bigger than the Mauretania.”

“Complain about what you want, son, but not about Titanic.” Robert grinned at his son. “It's over a hundred feet longer than Mauretania, and far more luxurious. It has squash courts, a Parisian cafe... even Turkish baths.”

“I know about the baths.” Cooper grumbled, as his dad went off to see to the luggage transportation, and Rachel felt a blush rise to her cheeks upon hearing his comment.

“So this is the ship they say is unsinkable.” Pamela Anderson breathed in awe.

“It _is_ unsinkable, my love.” Robert called to her. “God himself could not sink this ship.”

“Sir,” A White Star Line porter walked over to Robert. “you’ll have to check your baggage through the main terminal, round that way…”

“I put my faith in you, kind sir.” Robert replied in a bored tone, placing five pounds in the young man’s hand. “See my man.”

He indicated towards valet, Jesse St. James, who stood patiently behind Robert.

“Yes, sir.” The porter agreed eagerly, happy with his enormous tip. “My pleasure, sir.”

“These trunks here, and 12 more in the Daimler. We'll have all this lot up in the rooms.” Jesse began to command the porters as Robert Anderson came beside his family and future daughter-in-law.

Robert held his arm out for his wife, who eagerly accepted and let him pull her towards Titanic. Blaine trailed after them, trying to give more reasons as to why a marriage with Rachel would not work, but leaving out the biggest part, for he knew they would not accept it no matter what. Well his mother might, but his father would never accept it as long as he lived.

Cooper looked over at Rachel, who was back to breathing normally. She ruffled awkwardly on her feet, looking towards where Blaine had disappeared. She was technically engaged to Blaine, and it was his responsibility to offer his fiancée his arm. Cooper huffed as almost everyone they came with was already walking up the ramp to take them to the first class D Deck. He raised his arm and gave her a mockingly sarcastic smile, and Rachel rolled her eyes, but still took his arm.

“This changes nothing.” Rachel hissed at him as they began to walk up the ramp.

“Trust me I wouldn’t want to be stuck with a Broadway wannabe for any longer than I have to be.” Cooper seethed back.

“At least I have dreams.” Rachel argued.

Rachel’s maid, Marley Rose, followed behind the two. She found herself smiling at her boss and the elder Anderson brother. Marley had been with Rachel just about as long as Blaine had. Marley had met Rachel at the age of five, when her mother came to work in the kitchens of the Berry household. Her father had just died, due to an accident in the metal shop where he worked. Even though she did not technically have a job there, she used to follow Shelby’s maid around, learning everything she could.

When her mother passed away when she was twelve, the Berry’s did not kick her out, and when she was fifteen, she became Rachel’s maid. This allowed the two girls to become very close and, while Blaine was Rachel’s best friend, it still was nice to have a good girlfriend. Even if they were separated by class, Marley liked to think that she knew Rachel very well. Which is why she was shocked to hear the news of her engagement to Blaine.

Like she said before, she knew Rachel well, and that was why she knew where Rachel’s heart truly lied. And it wasn’t just on some Broadway stage, as much as Rachel would like to say. The young maid, knew Rachel would never truly be happy if she did not have the man she truly loved by her side, cheering her on from the audience of her Broadway plays and musicals, or even working beside her.

“This is ridiculous.” Rachel muttered as they got closer to the ship.

“What is?” Cooper asked sincerely.

Marley found herself chuckling at the two, for two people who said they hated each other, they seemed to forget it a lot.

“I don’t know.” Rachel sighed. “This is supposed to be the ‘Ship of Dreams’ and your father said…” Rachel trailed off, knowing she had said too much.

“And?” Cooper asked, searching her face, trying to meet her gaze. “Rachel, what about my father?”

“Nothing.” She told him, but she knew he didn’t believe her.

“Rae?” He asked, softly, again, using his childhood nickname for her, hoping it would get her to talk. 

“All it is, is your father telling your brother and I to do something that neither one of us want to do.” Rachel told him, now it wasn’t a lie, but it was not the whole truth either. “It feels like a slave ship, taking me to America in chains.”

Rachel let out a small sigh in relief as he nodded his head, she could tell that his instincts were telling him that she was lying. However, she knew that he would not force her to tell him, since he had to hate her. She knew that she could avoid him easily on this monster of a ship once they were aboard. Especially since Robert Anderson was going to make her spend all of her time with Blaine, getting prepared for a life with him. Oh God, Rachel had become her mother.

“It’s not that bad.” Cooper told her, even though his heart knew she was right.

“‘Not that bad’?” Rachel repeated. “As soon as I get to America, I am going to become a wife, while you get to go on your merry way.”

“Trust me, my life has never been and never will be rainbows and unicorns, Rachel.” Cooper told her.

He unconsciously rubbed his abdomen, causing Marley to frown. Rachel may not have noticed it, but the young maid definitely did. If Rachel had noticed, she may have told him about how his father was blackmailing her to stay away from him.

“And why is that?” Rachel hissed, not seeing how his life of women and booze was worse than hers.

“Because it is going to be missing the most important piece.” Cooper said cryptically.

“What do you mean by that?” Rachel asked, genuinely confused.

“Ah, there you two are.” Robert Anderson said in a faux cheerful tone, and dragged Cooper by the arm away from Rachel and towards the check in desk. “Come with me.” His father growled softly, as not to alert Marley and Rachel.

Cooper could see the hidden rage beneath his father’s eyes and hoped his father still had enough sense to keep the marks of that rage hidden.

—

Kurt Hummel found himself in a little pub a few blocks away from where the supposed ‘Ship of Dreams’ was docked and supposed to set sail any minute now. The young man had no clue what he was doing here, usually gambling nights were on Friday nights. Well, first off it was Sunday, and it was 11:30 in the morning. 

Not that Kurt knew what he was doing anyway, all he knew was that his deck was terrible. He just had to trust that his best friend Elliott Gilbert knew what he was doing. The man in question studied his cards, his eyes betraying nothing.

The two men they were playing with, were arguing in a different language. Kurt had to guess that it was because the one man, Kristoffer, had bet their tickets for Titanic. The other man, Jonathon, was furious and Kurt did not blame him. The man probably worked his ass off to get those tickets, and now he might loose them. 

However, Kurt knew their meals for the next week depended on Elliott winning this hand.

“Hit me again, Kristoffer.” Elliott told the man, who rolled his eyes, but complied as Titanic’s whistle blew in the distance. “Alright, moment of truth, gentlemen. Someone’s life is about to change.”

Everyone put their cards down, except for Elliott, who held his cards up, surveying the competition.

“Let’s see... Kurt's got niente.” Elliott observed, speaking in Italian, knowing it was the only other language Kurt’s mother was able to teach him. Jonathon, you've got squat. Kristoffer, uh oh... two pair... mmm. Sorry Kurt.”

“Elliott, what do you mean sorry?” Kurt all but screeched. “We needed this money to buy food for the next week.”

“I’m sorry, but you are not going to need to buy more food for a while because…We’re going to America!” Elliott shouted happily, slamming his cards on the table. “Full house boys!”

“Oh my God!” Kurt shouted happily as the other two men began to shout in Swedish. “I could kiss you right now!”

Elliott grinned and winked at him as he raked the money and tickets into his hat, and transported it into his bag, before grabbing the tickets into his palm. Despite both hitting for the same team, Kurt and Elliott never really had anything but a platonic relationship between them. Both men were fine with it, and it actually made life less stressful when you had someone to talk to about it.

“Sorry boys.” Elliott apologized and handed Kurt one of the tickets. “But, you see, I had three of a kind and a pair. So, I am high and dry and…”

“…we’re going to…” Kurt continued.

“AMERICA!!” Elliott and Kurt yelled together, happily.

Jonathon curled his hand into a fist and grabbed Elliott’s shirt, and Kurt gulped nervously. Suddenly he turned around and punched Kristoffer in the face. Kurt waved his ticket happily in the air as he jumped around the bar.

“I’m gonna go to Broadway, baby!” Kurt said.

“No.” The bartender told him.

“‘No’?” Kurt repeated, confused. “What do you mean, ‘no’, I’ve got the ticket right here.”

“No boy, Titanic go to America, in five minutes.” The bartender explained, pointing to the clock.

“Shit!” Elliott swore, grabbed Kurt’s arm and their bags, and they tore out of the bar.

“Can you believe it, yesterday night we were sleeping under a bridge and now we are on our way to America?” Kurt called to Elliott as they ran through the crowd.

Kurt let out a squeal as he almost ran into a horse, and said horse lept onto its hind legs. Elliott rolled his eyes with a grin on his face as he pulled Kurt along with him.

“Hold it!” Elliott shouted as they ran up the ramp that was getting pushed away from the ship. “We’re passengers!”

“Have you been through the inspection queue?” The officer asked them.

“Of course.” Elliott lied with ease. “Besides we don’t have lice, we’re Americans.”

The officer looked at the two men, a battle raging in his head, before he finally sighed, nodding his head.

“Fine, come aboard.” The officer told them, collecting their tickets, giving them their room number.

After a nervous check in, where the officer did not seem to believe that they were the people whose names were written on the ticket, the two made their way to the railing at the edge of the ship.

“Goodbye!” Elliott cried and Kurt laughed as his friend waved at the people, who looked more like ants.

“Who are you waving to?” Kurt chuckled.

“No one,” Elliott smiled. “That’s the whole point.”

Kurt sighed, but waved, calling out to people he would never see again.

“I will never fully understand you.” Kurt chuckled, before he continued to say his goodbyes.

Suddenly he felt a burning on his head, as if someone was staring at him, so he turned his head. His mouth unconsciously fell open at the eyes he connected with. The man had jet black hair and it was slicked back, giving away the fact that he was in first class.

Kurt saw a pretty brunette put a hand on his arm, and say something to him. The man’s cheeks turned red as he turned away. When he did, Kurt was left breathless.

_What the hell was that?_

—

Blaine watched as his mother and Rachel talked while they waited for Robert and Cooper to go out and send their goodbyes to the crowd below. He looked for his brother and father, he saw neither, and the ship was going to be leaving soon. After alerting Marley of his plans, he set off in search of his father.

He went outside, facing the open ocean. Nobody was over here because they were all waving goodbye on the other side. Something was off about the atmosphere over here, so when he heard footsteps, Blaine wedged himself behind a folding chair.

His father walked past, flicking a cigarette into the water, not noticing his younger son, and walked inside. Blaine waited thirty seconds before he walked in the direction his father had come from. Blaine did not know what he was going to see, but what he found was definitely one of the things he had thought of.

He saw his older brother’s bare back, covered in white dots, several angry pink ones, and a few red ones. Cooper pulled his shirt back on, turning around as he buttoned it, freezing when he saw Blaine. Blaine stared in shock at the sight of an angry white line across Cooper’s stomach. 

Cooper cleared his throat, as he tried to play it off, finishing buttoning up his shirt and grabbed his suit jacket.

“You’ll catch flies with your mouth open like that.” Copper smirked at Blaine, and his younger brother could now see the nervousness that hid beneath it.

“Coop, what’s wrong with your back?” Blaine asked and reached for his brother’s shirt, which had some red spots from where his back appeared to be bleeding.

Just before Blaine’s hand made contact with his brother’s collar, Cooper’s hand shot up and grabbed Blaine’s wrist. Cooper’s hand was like a vise grip on Blaine’s wrist, but his older brother’s hand was shaking. It was like Cooper was afraid of what his brother would do if he got another look at the marks on his abdomen and back. Blaine had never seen his brother with an ounce of fear in his eyes, always sarcasm, but never fear.

“Cooper?” Blaine questioned, his voice wavering in concern.

“They’re from when I worked on the necklace for mom all those years ago.” Cooper recited, as if he had been trained for it, pulling his suit coat on, hiding the red spots on the back of his shirt.

Blaine remembered when Cooper worked with the local jeweler to create a morganite necklace for their mother for her birthday seven years ago.

“The splashing of the metal doesn’t cause those kind of scars, especially the one on your stomach.” Blaine pointed out.

“Well, it’s what caused them.” Cooper insisted, crossing his arms, smiling tightly at his younger brother.

“Oh, yeah?” Blaine challenged. “Then why are some of your scars still pink, as if they were caused only moments before, when you worked on mom’s necklace seven years ago?”

“Listen, Blaine, just stay out of it.” Cooper warned, turning to walk back towards the doors.

“Cooper, hey, talk to me!” Blaine called and walked in front of his brother, stopping the elder sibling in his tracks. “What’s going on?” Blaine asked.

Cooper remained silent, looking out at the ocean. 

“Did father do this?” Blaine asked after a moment of silence, as he remembered his dad flicking a cigarette into the ocean, and the scars on his brother’s back looked like the shape of a cigarette butt.

“Look, baby bro, dad can be harsh, but he’s not like that.” Cooper told him, and if Blaine had not grown up with him, then he would not have noticed the lie.

“Who are you hoping to fool with that lie?” Blaine asked.

“No one, because it is the truth.” Cooper said firmly and walked around his little brother.

Blaine watched as his brother made his way down the deck, he knew that as soon as his brother walked in the dining hall Blaine would never get the chance to talk to him about it again. So he tried something, knowing it was a long shot, but he needed more.

“If it is truly from the metal, then I will ask Rachel, you know Marley’s father worked in a metal shop. I am sure she will be happy to tell if your wounds are from there.” Blaine called out and his brother stopped in his tracks.

Cooper turned around and Blaine stumbled back at the look in his eyes, as his brother stormed over to him.

“You will be saying none of this to her, or it’s your neck, do you understand.” His brother growled.

“Just tell me what is going on and I won’t tell anyone.” Blaine pleaded.

“Yes, okay?” Copper said.

“‘Yes’?” Blaine repeated, confused.

“Yes, dad does this.” Cooper said motioning to his back and stomach.

“Why?” Blaine asked in horror. “Why do you let him?”

“You’re too young to understand.” Cooper muttered, looking out towards the open sea.

“I’m eighteen, almost nineteen, and you’re only twenty-seven.” Blaine pointed out.

“Twenty-eight.” Cooper muttered.

“Not yet, I am the only one of us who actually had a birthday.” Blaine pointed out. “Rachel’s isn’t until December, and your’s isn’t until October. So, I feel like I am old enough to understand.”

“No, Blaine, you are too young to understand what I’ve been going through for seven years!” Cooper shouted at him, finally snapping after Blaine’s brief detour.

“This has been going on for seven years?” Blaine asked in shock.

“Shit.” Cooper muttered. “Look, this is between dad and me, so keep your nose out of it.”

“Cooper, it doesn’t matter who he is, father cannot be doing this to you.” Blaine told him.

“Excuse me, Mr. Anderson?” Marley walked out by them.

“Yes, Miss. Rose?” Cooper replied coldly, secretly happy she came out when she did.

“Uh, your father requests your presence, the ship is leaving port.” Marley stuttered, not used to the cold tone from the elder Anderson brother.

“Wonderful.” Cooper muttered and unconsciously rubbed his stomach, catching Blaine and Marley’s attention.

Blaine’s eyes widened, knowing the true meaning behind the action that his brother had been doing for years now. He now knew what awaited his brother behind closed doors, and it made him sick. For he always knew his father was not the kindest soul in the world, but he did not expect him to be this cruel.

“Let’s go.” Cooper informed them and glided into the dining hall.

Blaine and Marley walked in behind him and over towards Rachel and Pamela. Blaine watched as his brother walked over by their father, and he watched Cooper’s jaw lock up in pain as his father gripped the back of his neck, pulling his son down to say something into his ear. For a second Blaine saw red and was going to walk over when Rachel came up to him.

“Do you want to go wave goodbye?” She asked eagerly.

“Why, you know no one out there?” Cooper asked sarcastically, coming up to them.

“Doesn’t matter, I just have a feeling that people are going to be talking about this day for ages to come.” Rachel beamed, forgetting that she was supposed to hate him, and Cooper felt himself smile with her.

When she smiled like that, everyone smiled, no matter how bitter they were. Blaine smiled at his best friend, trying not to think that by this time next year they would most likely be husband and wife, and definitely not trying to think of the abuse that his brother had been undergoing for years now.

“Come on!” She squealed and took off towards the doors.

“Coop…” Blaine began.

“Leave it.” Cooper hissed and followed Rachel, but not before casting a glance at their father.

Blaine looked over at his father, who seemed to be conveying a silent message to his eldest son through his eyes. Cooper may have gotten used to the way their father treated him, but Blaine was not. He was going to find out the whole story, and when he did, he would not rest until he knew his brother was happy and safe.

Blaine saw where his brother leaned against the railing, glaring at all the people waving to them from the docks, more specifically a young couple standing on top of a table. They had huge smiles on their faces and did not seem to worry about holding each other tight in each other’s arms.

“So, now you’re mad at complete strangers?” Blaine tried to joke, but Cooper did not even look mildly amused. “Why are you mad at complete strangers?”

“I have my reasons.” Cooper said in a monotone voice.

“They are?” Blaine asked.

“Oh, please.” Rachel huffed. “Does he really need a reason, Blaine. He gets mad at everyone.”

Cooper glared at Rachel and she returned the glare, so Blaine turned away, not having the energy to break up their silent feuding at the moment. He looked down at all the people waving goodbye to the people of Southhampton.

His eyes caught on this man, who looked to be on the third class deck, waving and grinning at the crowd. Blaine had secretly admired guys looks secretly over the years, but there was something about this man that had Blaine throwing caution to the wind.

When the guy turned to look at him, Blaine felt his breath leave his chest. He instantly wanted to see the strangers eyes up close. He wanted to study them and never stop.

“Hey, are you okay?” Rachel asked as she placed her hand on his arm, and he felt himself turn scarlet.

“I’m fine.” He told her and turned back to the crowd as the ship began to slowly out of the harbor.

He turned his head slightly to the side to see his brother watching him with confusion, and if Blaine read deep enough into it, he could see concern etching into his brother’s features. In the back of his mind, Blaine was irritated that his brother was allowed to be worried about him, but he could not worry about Cooper. Right now, however, his mind was spinning so much that he did not even care.

‘ _You okay?_ ’ Cooper mouthed and Blaine nodded, even though he was confused beyond belief.

_What the hell was that?_

—

Kurt followed his best friend, as they walked down the hallway, trying not to think about the man he saw during the departure from Southhampton. Elliott was mumbling numbers as he walked down the hallway, not noticing the thoughts that were practically shouting out of Kurt’s brain. Little kids ran past them, giggling as a young Irish mother followed behind them, pleading with them to slow down. Kurt smiled at this, remembering how his father used to be when he would take Kurt to the clothing store once a year for his birthday. It made him respect his father, and miss him all the more, because he knew that his dad would go years with holes in his shoes to make sure Kurt always got a new article of clothing on his birthday.

“Ah, G-27!” Elliott shouted in triumph. “Hey guys!” Elliott greeted extravagantly, while Kurt shyly crawled onto the top bunk. “Hey!” Elliott called, turning his attention away from the confused men. “Who said you get top bunk?”

“Oh, please, you would roll off the bunk if you were up here.” Kurt scoffed.

“Unfair.” Elliott grumbled with a smile as he set his bag on the bottom bunk.

“But true.” Kurt replied, grinning down at his friend.

“Where’s Kristoffer?” The one man asked quietly to his friend, eyeing their new roommates uncertainly.


End file.
